Chapter 836: Rescue and Bargains in the Evolved Forest

Xin Yu pointed to her ear to indicate that, aside from the sound of running water, all she could hear was the thundering helicopter.

Xia Qing shook her head. The helicopter was approaching from the south, while Alpha was watching the north. Most likely, the giant bear on Hill Sixty-One heard the fighting die down and was now roaring, checking whether its fellow bears were alright. If the small bear lying on the ground didn’t answer, that giant bear might head south.

Noticing Xia Qing’s sudden change in mood, Xin Yu pulled out her phone, and seeing Alpha only give her a glance without any hostility, she breathed a quiet sigh of relief then quickly typed out an update for Xia Qing.

Xia Qing scanned the message and whispered to Xin Yu, “If the Queen starts to look really hostile, just tap me with your finger.”

Xin Yu gave a subtle nod.

Xia Qing began gesturing to Alpha, trying to communicate. “Queen, those people in the helicopter are my companions. They can save this bear. Do you want to save the bear and the monkey? We could have Broken Back talk to the bears about exchanging supplies… That way we save the bear…”

If there were no Wolf Pack reinforcements, Xia Qing would have the helicopter touch down right away and start saving the bear.

But for now, the decision was Alpha’s. If Alpha wanted to kill the bear, Xia Qing wouldn’t get in the way. But Alpha had spared the bear earlier, so Xia Qing wanted to give peace a try. Just imagine if the wolves and bears stopped fighting and joined forces to guard the northern Evolved Forest, keeping beasts from Hills Sixty and Sixty-One out—people at Hui Three Base would have a much easier time.

After understanding Xia Qing’s intention, Alpha’s face clouded with rare contemplation. But that only lasted a couple of seconds. The king of the Northern Wolf Pack quickly made up its mind, threw back its head and howled.

Xin Yu didn’t know what the howl meant, but she could see the six wolves circling them all stepping back.

Was this… agreement?

“Understood, Queen. We’ll save this bear and have Broken Back bargain with the bears for their best supplies. You’re truly brilliant, Queen! No one deserves to stand atop Blue Star’s evolutionary pyramid more than you. You’re opening a new chapter in the history of the Northern Evolved Forest.” After giving Alpha a long, heartfelt show of reverence, Xia Qing lowered her voice and told Xin Yu, “Let the helicopter land—have them come save the bear.”

The bear had been given far too much sedative and needed urgent treatment or it would be too late.

“Copy that, landing now.” Once Xin Yu relayed the message, Huo Zhun piloted the helicopter down, touching down on an open patch over a hundred meters from Xia Qing and the Evolved Bear.

What about the Evolved Wolf Pack?

They’d already melted into the shadows of the forest. Er, who just arrived, slipped in among them too.

Before the helicopter had even landed fully, the door swung open. Yan Long, carrying a medical kit in one hand and hauling Zhang Song in the other, jumped out and hurried over, setting Zhang Song down beside the bear.

Decked out in a heavy Grade-Four Field Protective Suit, Zhang Song shook off the haze, put on anti-bacterial gloves, then cracked open the medical kit, grabbed an injector and treated the Evolved Bear right away. Then he used the equipment to check on the bear’s vitals.

Noticing the bear’s paw and eyelids starting to twitch, Xia Qing quickly nudged Xin Yu behind Yan Long, then stepped up to guard Zhang Song just in case the bear suddenly lashed out.

Yan Long tapped out a line on her phone and showed it to Xia Qing: The helicopter only has a damaged main rotor hub—if we get the part it’s a fast fix. One person is inside. Evolved Wolf is stationed outside. What now?

Xia Qing had already planned it out. “Sister Yan, you and Xin Yu get back in the helicopter and keep an eye on the other chopper from above, don’t spook the wolves. Once Brother Song finishes saving the bear, we’ll regroup at the helicopter. After that we’ll fix her up and fly her back to Hill Forty-Nine.”

These people had wandered into Hui Three’s Evolved Forest hunting big predators. Xia Qing and Xin Yu had found them and shut down their operation. So every bit of gear these poachers carried was now prize loot belonging to Xia Qing and Xin Yu.

The reason for moving things to Territory One instead of Section Three or Eight was because the Alliance just wasn’t strong enough yet. For now, any victory in catching these poachers needed to be credited to the Azure Dragon Squad.

So in name, these supplies belonged to the Azure Dragon Squad.

That spotlight was for Yang Jin to claim. Let him and his squad handle the team backing the poachers. Let him receive the Base’s reward. That was all quietly agreed upon the moment Xia Qing called Yang Jin and he agreed to send a support team right away.

A chance like this to boost the Azure Dragon’s reputation was too good for Yang Jin to turn down. As for what he wanted out of it—well, that was business for the negotiation table.

Xia Qing wasn’t nervous at all about facing the notoriously stingy Iron Rooster in negotiations. Honestly, she was looking forward to it.

This helicopter had to stay in Section One of the North. No exceptions.

From Section One of the North to Hill Fifty-Three was a straight twenty-odd li. The helicopter from Territory Seven actually arrived after ground support from Territory One, which meant that as Territory Seven’s lord, the Senior Expert had no right to directly order helicopters out on support duty.

Idol must be fuming in the Territory right now. No chance of catching any Green Lantern wild duck today. Xia Qing was determined to bring this helicopter back and cheer up Idol—maybe even tempt her appetite a little.

Yan Long brought Xin Yu up into the helicopter and took the pilot’s seat, while Huo Zhun headed down to protect Xia Qing and Zhang Song.

Why send Huo Zhun?

Because last winter, Huo Zhun had helped Xia Qing on a mission with the Wolf Pack, so they were less wary of him than of others.

Huo Zhun ran to Xia Qing’s side and asked Zhang Song, “Brother Song, any chance this monkey can make it?”

Still tending to the Pale-faced Monkey, Zhang Song didn’t even look up. “Shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Glad to hear it.” Huo Zhun glanced at the white-faced, black-furred monkey and shook his head. “Good thing it’s daytime. Seeing something like this at night would scare the soul right out of you. No way this monkey’s native. It must’ve escaped from a zoo during the disaster.”

“That species is from the Ruins Continent,” Zhang Song added before asking Huo Zhun to grab medicine for Xia Qing. Xia Qing had suffered a concussion from the shockwave, but these two knuckleheads hadn’t even bothered to ask. One cared only about the helicopter, the other about the monkey—really, they deserved to be on the same squad.

“Huo, open the second layer of the medical kit. Grab the vial in the upper left corner and give it to Xia Qing. It’s for treating tinnitus, dizziness, and nausea—all-in-one medicine.” As artillery fired again in the forest, Zhang San, who was busy negotiating with Hui One Military, slammed the phone down, tossed a miracle medicine to Zhang Song, and ordered Yan Long and Huo Zhun to deploy immediately.

If Hui One Military hadn’t dragged their feet and refused to send out the helicopter rescue earlier, Xia Qing wouldn’t have suffered such severe injuries.

“Thanks.” Xia Qing accepted the medicine, pulled off her protective mask and the dark cloth covering her face, and swallowed the dose all at once.

Now that there were no strangers around, Xia Qing didn’t bother hiding her face. She tugged open the side pocket of her suit, took out a tissue, and wiped the sweat from her face and neck before replacing her mask.

Seeing no blood on Xia Qing’s ears, Huo Zhun relaxed. He looked down at the monkey, its white face blank, then looked up at Xia Qing’s equally stoic expression. Then back down to the monkey.

Hmm…

He realized something, but he sure wasn’t going to say it. He liked his teeth just where they were.